Lora Kolodny (Blogger at New York Times Online) Lora Kolodny – Reposting this list I wrote up years ago,… | FacebookHere are questions I’d like you to be able to answer candidly and accurately if you’re pitching me to write a story about you or your company: What service do you provide, or what product do you make and sell? Who needs this most? (Please explain it, simply, as if you’re telling this to a classroom full of high school students, not a room full of VCs, peers or consultants. ) Who are your key customers or constituents, now? Who will they be in thr… (read more)

Bekah Grant (Writer, VentureBeat) Confessions of an ex-tech journalist — Life Tips — MediumNo self-respecting reporter prefers to interact with a PR person over the story’s subject or an original source. PR people are in the business of getting their clients coverage. They have a tremendous amount of muscle in the tech industry. A common misconception is that you need a PR firm to get coverage. Entrepreneurs would trepidatiously inquire all the time whether they were “allowed” to email me directly. Of course you can, and please do.

Bekah Grant (Writer, VentureBeat) Confessions of an ex-tech journalist — Life Tips — MediumNewsworthiness is defined by timeliness, relevance, significance, prominence, and human interest. The fact that you want articles about your company (or your clients) does not constitute newsworthiness, and disseminating pitches that meet none of those criteria is likely a waste of time.

Dan Kennedy (Strategic advisor, consultant, business coach, and author of the popular No B.S. book series.) Build Your Brand by Cultivating ControversyThe Trump Technique of picking a fight with a villain or enemy can be an effective way to use controversy with little or no risk if you choose carefully, attack broadly and know your brand loyalists and target market well. Some entrepreneurs who own valuable personal or corporate brands even intentionally, repeatedly court controversy. Anytime you personally take a potentially controversial position or attach your company or brand to one, you do … (read more)

Max Ogles (Marketing Director at Mobile Coach LLC) How To Save Your Startup From The “Spotlight Effect”Yipits lofty expectations and subsequent disappointment werent just a coincidence; they were the result of the powerful and potentially detrimental psychological effect of valuing media feedback and artificial buzz over the only kind of feedback that actually matters: The kind that comes from users.

David Jackson (Founder, Seeking Alpha) PR meets strategy — the Jeff Bezos approach | A Founder’s NotebookJeff Bezos has a single “talking point”, the core mission statement of Amazon, and brings everything back to that. “Bezos takes a red pen to press releases, product descriptions, speeches, and shareholder letters, crossing out anything that doesn’t convey a simple message: You won’t find a cheaper, friendlier place to get everything you need than Amazon. “

Ben Yoskovitz (VP Product at VarageSale, VP Product at GoInstant (acquired by Salesforce), Author of Lean Analytics) Launch Your Startup When You’ve Already WonThere’s a time and place for making noise about your startup, but you’ve gotta be clear on whether you’re doing it to feed your own ego and make yourself feel good, or if you’re doing it strategically for some understood and measurable benefit.

Mark Suster (Managing Partner at Upfront Ventures) The Silent Benefits of PR | Bothsides of the TableReasons to do press… 1. Recruiting – It is 10x easier [to recruit] when qualified candidates whom you may not even know read about your company and are excited by your vision. 2. Business Development – Every major company you meet is trying to size you up as to whether it’s worth their time striking a deal with you. Then they read about you and think to themselves, “we should really reach out to that company. ” 3. Fund Raising – Great PR could … (read more)

Slava Akhmechet (Founder at RethinkDB) 57 startup lessonsDon’t say things if your competitors can’t say the opposite. For example, your competitors can’t say their product is slow, so saying yours is fast is sloppy marketing. On the other hand, your competitors can say their software is for Python programmers, so saying yours is for Ruby programmers is good marketing. Apple can get away with breaking this rule, you can’t.